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Turkey Tips - Scouting the West Side for Easterns
| Roosting Sites | Feeding Areas | Strut Zones | Nesting Sites | Putting it All Together |
The
Key To Success
by: Robert S. Lee
As Spring approaches, our focus shifts from reminiscing over the fall’s outdoor experiences to pursuing the wild turkey. There is no doubt that a booming gobble at sunrise will stir the blood of any turkey hunter. But in order to consistently put your tag on one, some preparation is required. You have to locate a gobbler, and get within range to make a clean shot. To do that season after season, you have to scout his haunts, and learn his habits.
Turkeys spend the fall in large flocks, moving from place to place in search of food to get them through the winter. In many locations, this means that the birds move out of the hills and onto lower, private farmland. They can be seen in large flocks of hens, gobblers, jakes, and in any mixture of the above. When the weather starts to warm and trees start budding, it is time for them to migrate back to their normal turf. This can happen in what seems like nearly overnight. This is when the work starts for the turkey hunter.
When turkeys break from their winter flocks, they must establish a hierarchy within the group. Both hens and gobblers will fight for dominance within their respective sex group, and that will determine who runs the show at least until the next fight. With gobblers, it will determine who gets the best breeding opportunities when the hens are ready. Usually the largest males will win the breeding rights in a particular area, but anything can happen. In many instances, subordinate males in an area will not gobble for fear of retaliation from the dominant bird. They may wait until he becomes preoccupied with his group of hens before sounding off. So don’t always assume that there is only one gobbler in a particular area. It is also not uncommon to call in bachelor groups of 3 or more males during the early season.
Once the birds have broken into smaller flocks, this is the time to key on certain aspects of turkey life. To improve your odds during the turkey season, you need as many of the pieces to the puzzle as possible. That means you need to look for possible roosting sites, strut zones, feeding areas, and nesting sites. While many turkey hunters are successful every year by locating only one of these key locations, the more opportunities you have to encounter a gobbler the better your odds.
The Eastern species of wild turkey is extremely oriented toward water sources. Often times you will find them roosted in trees directly over a stock pond or creek. Other times, they will be roosted within a few 100 yards. But they won’t be far from water. Keep in mind when looking for roost sites that the turkey picks a roost based on it’s ability to provide security. That means it must give adequate visibility, and provide an easy escape if needed. Therefore, a roost tree will most likely be on a hillside or bottom in a mature tree with large, horizontal limbs for easy access. Many times it will be on the edge of the timber, providing the greatest vantage point and easiest escape route. This is why great care should be used when approaching a roosted bird. Everything is in their favor except the cover of darkness.
To identify a roost site, look around the base of the trees for droppings and feathers. While on roost, a turkey will groom himself and flap his wings, often causing feathers to drop to the ground below.
Inspection of the coloration of the feathers and the shape of the droppings will help indicate whether the turkey is male or female. Gobblers won’t be far from hens during the season, so the sex is less important than the discovery itself.
Turkeys, like other wild animals, depend on the preferred food sources of an area for survival. In some areas, this is a fresh clear-cut with new shoots sprouting. In other areas, it may be an obscure grass patch along a pond or creek. In areas that have recently been burned, turkeys are drawn to the new growth. The most productive time for that new growth is during the 1st and 2nd year. Since many areas are owned by timber companies, check for grass patches along the sides of roads. These are a good source of food for turkeys, and are easily assessed for fresh sign such as droppings and tracks. Pipelines, powerlines, and other right-of-ways are also good areas to scout for the same reasons.
Strut zones can be located almost anywhere along the turkey’s daily route. It is usually located in an area that he feels safe, since he is very distracted while performing for the ladies. Many times you can find a strut zone in or adjacent to feeding areas. It will usually be in a place that offers good visibility and is clear of underbrush. When you suspect you have located a strut zone, look for an area that has lots of tracks, usually tracks on top of tracks, and the tell-tale wingtip marks in the dirt. You will often find dusting bowls, shallow bowlshaped holes hollowed out in the ground, located nearby where the turkey dusts himself for protection from bugs and parasites.
Some good locations to check for strut zones include field edges, ridge tops, creek bottoms, and other flat areas that are open, yet offer good security. Remember he has to feel safe there.
When a hen looks for nesting site, she usually chooses tall grass in the edge of thicker cover. The reason nesting sites are important to us during the turkey season is because a gobbler will hang around nesting sites trolling for interested hens. Often times, you can call to these gobblers during the middle of the day before their hens have returned to them and get a favorable response. This is quite possibly the best time to hunt during the “henned up” period when gobblers aren’t interested in anything you have to say after they fly off the roost. Many times the gobbler will not vocally respond to your calls, but instead come in silently. Pay close attention for his approach to your setup, and don’t be caught off guard.
By far the popular and likely the most productive time for harvesting a turkey is when he first flies off his roost. It is also the most vocal period for the turkey, which makes the hunt more exciting for us. But don’t overlook the other areas mentioned. If a gobbler has his hens roosted nearby, your odds of getting him to fly off the roost in your direction decrease. That’s why it is so important to put the time in scouting your hunting area. If you know where he is going, it is much easier to stay ahead of his movements. If he leaves the roost with his ladies, try to beat him to his feeding area, or intercept him at his strut zone. If not there, set up near the preferred nesting area for a mid day setup. Another trick to store in the bag is to return to the roosting area to set up mid to late morning. He may return to find the hen he heard at daylight that he didn’t leave with.
Consistent success comes from putting in the time and effort scouting the area you plan to hunt. Study topographical maps and aerial photos to identify possible locations for roost sites, feeding areas, and strut zones. Learn the terrain features in case you need to move your setup on a bird that refuses to commit. Walk the area to identify potential calling obstacles that could keep you from closing the deal. Look for water sources nearby, and walk the banks and mudholes to look for tracks. Finding as many pieces of the puzzle as possible before opening day will dramatically increase your odds of tagging that trophy tom this season.
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